1856 Victorian colonial election
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The 1856 Victorian Colonial election was held between the 23rd of September to the 24th of October 1856 to elect 60 members to the Victorian Legislative Assembly.[1]
This was the first election in the colony of Victoria after the passing of the Electoral Act 1856, which provided for the election of members of the first Parliament of Victoria later that year. The Act provided for voting by secret ballot, the establishment of an electoral roll, and government supplied ballot papers.[2]
There were no official parties contesting this election. Each candidate ran effectively as an independent, typically campaigning on specific local issues or identified with particular causes. The Legislative Council consisted of thirty members representing six Provinces, each province returning five Members. The Legislative Assembly consisted of sixty members representing thirty-seven multi and single-member electorates.[3]
Results[edit]
Legislative Assembly[edit]
A list of members elected is provided below, along with the electorates they represented & the date that voting occurred in that electorate.
| Electorate | Day of Election | Elected Member |
|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 26 September | Jonathan Binns Were |
| Collingwood | 24 September | Thomas Embling |
| George Harker | ||
| Melbourne | 23 September | Archibald Michie |
| David Moore | ||
| John Thomas Smith | ||
| William Stawell | ||
| John O'Shanassy | ||
| Richmond | 25 September | George Evans |
| Daniel Campbell | ||
| South Melbourne | 24 September | Andrew Clarke |
| St Kilda | 23 September | Thomas Fellows |
| Frederick Sargood | ||
| East Bourke | 23 September | Augustus Greeves |
| Robert Bennett | ||
| West Bourke | 16 October | Patrick Phelan |
| Robert McDougall |
While there was no official party system operating at the time of the 1856 election, the elected representatives were identified as being either "Ministerial", "Anti-Ministerial", and "Independent". Members elected to the Legislative Council were chiefly divided on their position on 'State Aid', as none of the members of the Council chose to align themselves with the "Ministerial" faction.[4]
| Political Composition of the Legislative Assembly | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministerial | 11 | ||
| Anti-Ministerial | 13 | ||
| Independent | 31 | ||
Aftermath & Reactions[edit]
Melbourne[edit]
The results of the district of Melbourne were considered to be unexpected & surprising, with the five candidates elected generating significant controversy.
The Argus published an editorial on the 26th of September expressing surprise at the election of John Thomas Smith, describing him as having "literally nothing to recommend him except a certain diligence that he has displayed in the discharge of Police Court duties".[5]
The Age post-election editorial noted the lack of any serious debate around policy, and that the election proved "nothing but the extent of the exertion made by each of the candidates, or by their friends".[6]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Parliament of Victoria, Legislative Assembly Election Results for 23 September 1856". University of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ↑ "Electoral Act 1856" (PDF).
- ↑ "Parliament of Victoria - Elections since 1856". Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ↑ "The New Parliament". The Argus. 30 Oct 1856.
- ↑ "The City Election". The Argus. 24 Sep 1856.
- ↑ "The City Election". The Age. 24 Sep 1856.
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Category:Elections in Victoria (Australia) Category:1856 elections in Australia Category:1800s in Victoria (Australia)
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